Improvement in lubricating-boxes and bearings for upright shafts



J. P. GRGSVENOR.

improvement in Lubricating Box and Bearing for Upright Shafts.

No. 123,562. Patented Feb.13,1872.

J ONATHAN P GROSVENOR, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN LUBRlCATlNG-BOXES AND BEARINGS FOR UPRIGHT SHAFTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. b23562, dated February 13,1872.

I, J ()NATHAN P. GROSVENOR, of Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Self-Lubricatin g Box and Shaft-Bearing for Upright Shafts passing through the box, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the drawing accompanying and making part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the line 2 z, of Fig. 3, of a shaft, bearing, and box of my invention. Fig. 2 is a view of the base and the lower box in whichthe end of the shaft rests. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the shaft-bearin g and box through the line as as of Fig. 1.

This invention'relates, first, to the construction of the box with an oil-chamber below the shaft-bearing, and with connecting passageways outside the bearing'and in the lining of the box from the oil-chamber to the top of the bearing so placed with reference to each other and to the projection d of the shaft into the oil- .chamber that the centrifugal force generated by the revolution of the latter shall feed the oil through the passage-ways to the proper point at the top of thebearingfor lubricating the same; second, to constructing the bearing of the shaft within t e box upon the projection 01, which is of greater lateral diameter than the shaft and the inside circularwall of the oil-chamber which surrounds it, and is so made that the periphery of the projection d extends beyond the inside wall of the oil-chamber, thus causing all surplus oil'escapin g from the bearing after lubricating it to return into the oil-chamber to be again used,instead of being wasted, as in other devices of this nature.

A is a base and standard, to which the box and shaft are represented as being attached in lieu of a machine-frame. B is a vertical shaft passing through the box, its lower end resting in the step 2. w is a pulley, by means of which motion is communicuted to the shaft. a is the exterior shell or jacket of the box, an interior circular wall of which, r 1", projects upward around the shaft B without touching it, and

' forms a circular oil-chamber, '0, between itself and the outer shell a of the box. I Z is a cover fitted to the top of the box. 1) bis a lining fitted tightly within the outer shell of the box and secured by grooves fitting projections in the outer shell of the box, so that it may be lifted around it, in which the upper ends of the passage-ways c e terminate. d is a projection upon the shaft 13, which is affixed to and revolves with the shaft, on the outer circumference of which the bearing of the shaft is turned to fit the lining b. The lower end of the projection d extends downward into the oil-chamber 0, around and outside of the inner wall 4* r of the oilchamber, but without touching the latter. Throughthepassage-wayewhichopensthrough the lining b upon the bearing between its ends,

as before described, a piece of wicking or felting is drawn, extending from the bottom of the oil-chamber c to the space 1'. The parts m, z, i, and '12 of the lower box, in which the end of the shaft rests, are shown to illustrate the method of adjusting the upper bearing d to its box, and securingit in position by the set-screws n and 0.

The oil is poured into the space "i at the top of the box, and allowed to run down the passage-ways e e and fill the oilchamber 0 partially full. The revolution of the shaft B, carrying with it the projection (1, creates centrifugal force within the oil-chamber c, which forces the oil to the outer wall of the chamber and carries it around the chamber, forcing it up the passageways 6 e to the top of the box, where it passes around the space i and lubricates the shaftbearing. The surplus oil in the space 12 as the shaft continues to revolve, will pass down one or more ofthepassage-ways e e to fill the vacuum created by the expulsion of the oil from the chamber 0, and be again forced up the passageways, thus creating a constant circulation of oil between the oil-chamber c and the top of the bearing. It is obvious that the more rapidly the shaft is rotated the greater will be the supply of oil furnished to the bearing. The oil which escapes from the shaft-bearing d, after lubricating it passes immediately into the oilchamber 0 where it is main taken 11 and used force created by the revolution of the shaft from an oil-chamber withinand at the bottom of the box to the point of its application to them, substantially as described.

2. The bearing of the shaft, formed upon the outer circumference of the projection d, the periphery of which extends over the inner wall 1' of the oil-chau1ber 0, substantially as described.

3. The vertical passage-ways e 6, formed in the lining 1) outside the periphery of the projection (Z, in combination with the latter and the oil-chamber 0, substantially as described.

J. P. GROSVENOR.

Witnesses:

D. HALL RICE, J. N. MARSHALL. 

